CONTROLS Synonyms: 196 Similar and Opposite Words

controls 1 of 2

noun

Definition of controls next

plural of control

as in controllers

a mechanism for adjusting the operation of a device, machine, or system the controls for the player are well marked

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as in hands

the ability to direct the course of something after the tail fell off, the plane went out of the pilot's control firefighters keeping control of the blaze

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as in operations

the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something control of manufacturing operations was given to a new manager with fresh ideas

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as in powers

the right or means to command or control others teachers are responsible for the students under their control

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controls

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of control

as in regulates

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) you must learn to control your temper

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as in contains

to gain emotional or mental control of he controlled himself only with the greatest difficulty in the face of his opponent's insulting remarks

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as in rules

to exercise authority or power over circumstances often control the choices we make in life

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as in operates

to look after and make decisions about during the period that she controlled the company it was highly profitable

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of controls

Noun

All four companies have taken steps to improve safety, including by introducing parental controls tools, adding privacy settings for young users, increasing content restrictions and offering options to limit notifications or time spent scrolling. —

Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 22 Feb. 2026 Both iPhones and Android devices have onboard controls to help regulate screen time. —

ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026 Seems like the middle of the screen does not work, but the outside controls do. —

Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2026 Chain controls are in effect on several highways in Butte County as snow falls as low as 1,000 feet in some places, officials reported. —

Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 19 Feb. 2026 This particular set also comes with a fire pit table with adjustable heat controls for an enjoyable outdoor setup even on brisk spring nights. —

Melanie Fincher, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Feb. 2026 Economists hate the idea of price controls. —

Julie Z. Weil, Washington Post, 19 Feb. 2026 Tax changes should be considered only after cost controls and efficiency improvements are evaluated, with full public disclosure and input before final decisions are made. —

Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026

Verb

Steering is easy and intuitive and done either through a steering wheel in traditional riding mowers or, in zero-turn mowers, through lap bar that controls the rear wheels. —

Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 22 Feb. 2026 The players’ union (MLBPA) has repeatedly said a salary cap is a non-starter, and the free-market nature of free agency has always been seen as a necessary counter to the rookie pay scale and arbitration system that controls players’ salaries through the early part of their careers. —

J.j. Bailey, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026 This happens because oven heat controls how quickly the fat in the dough melts, how fast sugars caramelize, and when proteins and starches firm up. —

Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026 His cartel dominates much of Guadalajara and controls the outskirts of Jalisco, as well as other states such as Colima and Michoacán. —

N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 22 Feb. 2026 Under the current ceasefire, Israel withdrew its troops to a buffer zone but still controls more than half the territory. —

Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026 Gates also controls an $18 million equestrian ranch in Rancho Santa Fe and a golf retreat in Indian Wells. —

Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026 The office controls an annual budget of approximately $10 billion, with more than 22,000 employees. —

CBS News, 14 Feb. 2026 But the president ultimately controls both parties to the lawsuit. —

Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for controls

Noun

Just a few hours into a pre-launch test called a wet dress rehearsal in early February, launch controllers found that enough super-chilled liquid hydrogen fuel was leaking at the launchpad to prompt safety concerns.

— Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
The glowing grid, created in 1999 by French artist Pierre Huyghe, connects to handheld game controllers on a table below.

— Jim Geraghty, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026